Teenagers create a local level playing field

Young people from Berrybridge Housing and Broadgreen International School had their say on the development of a local playing field last week as landscape designers took their ideas for a new community woodland to the drawing board.

The teenagers are part of Berrybridge Housing’s Young Managers programme which is organised in partnership with Broadgreen International School. They suggested a treehouse, climbing wall and sculptures to add the finishing touches to the £700,000 renovation of Mab Lane playing fields. The Dovecot community has been involved with the project since it started and the students spoke up to encourage other young people to use the green space at the heart of their community.

Tom McGuire, Berrybridge Housing’s director, explained, “Mab Lane playing fields are going to be a fantastic leisure environment for everyone in our community. Our young people will be using it with their families in years to come, so their creativity and ideas are vital to the long-term success of this major project.”

The vision for Mab Lane is to create an inspiring and multi-functional green space which aspires to become the world’s most colourful woodland. Up to 20,000 native UK trees will be planted alongside wildflower meadows, a community orchard and wetland area to enhance the existing wildlife.

Ben Pope, Liverpool 2020’s designer, said, “The project caught the young managers’ imagination and they were really enthusiastic about inventing unusual and practical features which young people will enjoy. We are using their ideas to transform the area into an amazing green space for everyone.”

The Young Managers gave their ideas for Mab Lane as part of Berrybridge Housing’s programme to teach them about role of housing associations in the community, as well learning presentation, organisation and team building skills. Local people are welcome to submit their own ideas on www.mablane.com.

Berrybridge Housing and the local community have wanted to improve the land for many years and the development has now been given the green light with £440,000 from the North West Development Agency, and further money from The Riverside Group, Forestry Commission, Mersey Forest and Liverpool City Council.